Her Missing Love
by GeeGee-WAS-HERE
Summary: A girl from Hyrule's Square named Rachel who used to work in Telma's bar with swordsman Rusl's help moves into Ordon village to start a new life. After four years of living in Ordon she is accepted as one of Ordon's lively children. This is the time the story takes place. She of course falls for Link and a new adventure starts with that young man and his courage. (Review please)
1. Chapter 1

Carefully studying the items before me, I pointed my small pale finger at the middle shoe shaped rock. The rock was lifted and underneath was a small green rupee.

"I WIN!" I exclaimed at the sighs of the children.

"That's the fourth time in a row." Malo complained.

"You cheated!" Talo was now beginning his accusations again.

"It's your fault for betting what was left of your allowance Talo." Scooping up the rupee I patted him upon his head of ruffled brown hair. The kids of Ordan had just began realizing my ability for gambling.

Back in the kingdom I was a regular gambler against what the guards found on the streets within the gate walls. They had simply helped a girl become rich. All they had to do was hide a rupee in a pot and I would find it. They searched me for some sort of tool that could have aided me but nothing they found gave them a single hint. They had also looked forward to the time of day, off their shift to visit Telma and her sweet cute little apprentice, me.

"Oh monkeys…One more time!" Talo demanded, catching my train of thought and derailing it. No survivors.

"I'm sorry Talo, if I win one more time you'll be bankrupt." Talo scowled at the word choice I presented to him.

"I don't care! I want my money back!" Talo demanded.

"I'll play all or nothing just for the heck of it." I gleamed and he nodded furiously, waving a stick back and forth he had found above his house earlier, the red ribbon wrapped around his hair flailing around.

I leaned down so the stubby and cute Malo could cover my gray eyes while Talo placed a rupee underneath one of the gray rocks. When Malo had removed his hands, removed a piece of blond hair from my eyes, and turned me around I could see the tip of the rupee gleam green light away from the rock slightly, connecting to the moss on the ground within the trail. For some reason we had played this game behind Link's house on the trail towards the bridge and the hot springs. The kids had a hole in the ground they would play in occasionally so I suppose that's what brought them here while I was collecting herbs.

"That one." I pointed to the left rock. It wasn't the rock with the gleaming green but taking money from little kids is different than from guards who had some spare change.

Talo's face was painted with a smile, "You were wrong!" He yelled and lifted the rock to show a single blue beetle underneath.

"Darn it!" I screeched, trying to act enthusiastic.

"Come on Talo… We've got something to do." Male whispered and waddled off towards the abandoned hole in the ground…cute kids.

I had then remembered my promise to the shop keeper, Beth's mom to collect herbs in exchange for a rupee or two. So after gambling with two kids I started collecting herbs like any other day, the same old thing.

"Hello Rachel." A voice called, I looked up shocked to see Rusl.

"Hello! Back already?" I gleamed and he nodded, swinging his sword into his sheath, his blond hair swaying the way he twister. His brunette highlights being camouflaged behind the dark blond.

"Have you seen Colin and Link?" He questioned and I shook my head, standing up from kneeling to wipe off my pants.

"I'm afraid I haven't seen the boys." I continued and he nodded. His blond hair swooped in front of his face and washed away a few sweat droplets. He must have practiced swordsmanship while coming home from the castle. This was the man who I was eternally grateful to as typical as that sounds it was true for the reason I have is not a lie.

He had helped my father and I come to a cute little village like this, however being my father he was always gone. When I was little my mother died in giving birth to me. My father is a merchant and is always going back and forth between villages. In total he is only home about once a month. So I live with Rusl, Colin, and his wife Uli by the small frog creek that separated the Windmill house and the mayor's house from the small shop and house of the shop keeper.

"Rachel!" Colin screamed from the beginning of the trail, a playful type of fear stricken on his face. Almost like when your parents tells you to go meet your scholar and you try faking sick but can't contain laughter when you were little.

"Yes?" I called back calmly. He laughed while running towards me, screeching slightly. He grabbed my hands and hid behind me as I rested the woven basket of herbs on my hip awaiting and explanation.

"He's-" Colin stammered, out of breath.

"What's wrong?" I questioned as he bolted away. Expecting Link to appear from around the corner and bolt towards Colin for some reason.

I sighed and had followed him towards the children's hole in the ground as Rusl decided to talk later and headed back home.

"Colin…Malo…Talo?" I called while looking under the rocks and behind bushes. Somehow I had forgotten where their hideout was. It was a hole leading to the springs and nothing else! How could I have forgotten where it was?

I had almost given up when someone gripped my leg and ran around me so quickly they were a blur, "Save me!" Colin screeched as Talo came running from behind a tree yelling and swinging his stick around the air, smacking down leaves from low branches and an occasional squirrel.

"Colin I'll get you for that!" He claimed.

"Boys!" I hollered to get their attention. They both stopped mid step and stared up at me as I continued, "What's the matter? You're always getting into fights, and where is your brother-" They continued running after each other as soon as one breathed.

"Malo went home!" Talo breathlessly said.

"I was playing with the slingshot Link gave me and accidentally hit him in the stomach with a nut-"Colin confessed, continuing to run circles around me until I was dizzy. I reached my arms out to grab whoever ran into my arms and ended up catching Colin.

I hauled his rag like heavy body whichever way Talo wasn't, "Stop!" I warned.

"Always picking favorites." Talo muttered and hit his stick against the ground a few times, blowing off steam.

"Talo…" I sadly set down Colin at his accusation. I could never pick favorites, I loved all the kids in Ordan. They were all kind kids that kept me company, cute, energetic, and sometimes…greedy. I smiled at the thought and reached out to his small body.

"Come here Talo" I ordered and he shook his head.

"Now." His mother had always told him to obey me when I was the oldest around and to respect his elders. He grumpily proceeded into my arms and I hugged his warm being. He was normal sized and one of the toughest kids I knew.

"I love all of the kids in Ordan."

Talo had smiled at my comment, so big he had to close his eyes. I ruffled his hair some more as they made up.

"I do not pick favorites in this village no matter how many times you end our rupee game: winning." I winked and he nodded, surrendering his half smile to my presence. He glanced behind me and rushed his way past my kneeling-self, excited. Though I have confessed to not picking favorites the kids never did. I'm sure though they would pick him. Holding his wooden sword he smiled down at Talo, his blond hair wavering from every movement.

"Good afternoon…Link." I smiled at him and he nodded while looking at me, cold but adoring eyes glancing at me.

I continued picking herbs in the lush green forest, what I could find of roots and useful flowers like lavenders. As I collected them and filled the prickly basket the boys played with the surroundings. Colin was superior at climbing trees although he didn't seem like it while Talo had a great arm for tossing rocks the farthest. Malo of course with his size and patients was almost unbeatable at hide and seek within the woods. The kids were only allowed within in the forest with either a parent or Link and I.

"Faster, Faster!" Talo screamed as Link practiced with his wooden sword and tried to hit the rotten wooden gate as many times possible. His record was seventy-three times by the time the children could count to fifty.

"Forty!" Talo celebrated by throwing his wooden stick at the gate leaned against the short cliff surrounding the trail and lodging it within a termite's hole.

"Link! Link! My father promised me a toy from the castle square when he got back!" Colin pushed Link's backside towards the trail entrance and the outskirts of the village.

"Let's go see!" Colin continued pushing as Link leaned back into him, taking a few steps forward while Colin used all his might. It was then had I noticed the changes. Colin seemed taller, Link seemed taller, Talo seemed taller…everyone was growing. They were all healthy and happy, I wish it could be like this forever.

Forever remaining this way didn't seem so bad. Colin's pants covered in dirt, Talo's hands coated with mud, Malo's pony tail hanging by a single brown strand, Link dripping with sweat from practice, my hands covered in dust and cuts from the weeds, hearts pounding and healthy. It all seemed like home. It was a warm feeling seeing Link play with the children. All day there had been a voice missing however, "Where's Beth?" I questioned and Talo stopped beating a bush back with his stick.

"She's helping her mother wash their cat!" He ranted.

As I thought of how well their cat was dealing with their decision of giving him a bath I noticed that the kids and Link were gone. Where did the golden haired young man take those three?

"Malo!" I blurted, he was the only one to come to mind since I hadn't seen him for the longest time. Usually physical activities weren't his thing but as soon as he got into them there was no getting him out.

"Rachel…" One of the boys whispered my names and I turned around to see Talo running around with my basket on his head.

"Talo give that back! I need it!" I sassed. He had refused to drop it and ran off, deeper into the forest. I rolled up my pant legs and took off after him.

Though he was half my height his legs could take him a long ways. I was so close to filling my basket to! When he wanted to play I was fine with that but when he wanted to interfere with work, he defiantly knew better!

"TALO YOU BRING THAT BACK THIS INSTANCE-"He was already across the bridge! I choked between screaming for him to come back and panting. Soon I was left bewildered at the second water spring in the forest. He had gone through the tunnel to an oil shack and that led to the forest temple along with Hyrule's mighty Fields.

My bare feet were coated in dust and a pebble or two was lodged between my short toes. For a girl I was considered to have big feet, as long as the mayor's feet were bigger than mine I knew I was okay. Link's was slightly bigger than mine but no one could beat the mayor or the Ukka, the Goron that occasionally visited him as an exchange student for Llia. Llia was around my age, I was slightly younger. She was the mayor's daughter and has been an exchange student to Death Mountain so she could study exotic medicine while the little Goron came here to study Faron Forest everyday life within the swamps or other areas.

Llia said she loved the warm days upon Death Mountain and wishes sometimes that she could even live there. To be honest…all the attention the kids always give her and ignore me when she visits I'm quiet jealous. Even Link seems to ignore me whenever she visits, it's almost like I disappear when she comes back for occasional weekends.

"Don't give up!" I heard a voice call. I looked up from my thinking which was now a habit it seemed.

"Talo come back!" I responded and rushed through the tunnel to the oil shack owned by a young boy with a bird's nest as hair. Coro was his name and making deadly soup was his game, there's a rumor that Colin's mother went into labor just from trying his soup.

_If Talo has dropped even a single herb I will make him fill three baskets!_ I thought to myself as I rushed through the rest of the dark, natural, rocky tunnel. I heard the click-clack of his wooden sandals against the hard earth surface. When that sound faded, I at the same time arrived into the light. All around was nothing but more lush green. I thought I had gone through the only tunnel in Faron Woods. I didn't know there was another. Apparently there were more for I didn't see the oil shack anywhere.

"Faster…" The voice began to whisper now. It wasn't even Talo's voice though, It had been more…insane.

I slowly started walking through the unfamiliar part of the forest. Perhaps turning around was a better idea. By now though it was too late. I refused to look behind me at the sound of footsteps and continued my way through the forest yet faster. As fast as possible my heart beat, thus making my palms sweat, legs burn, and the taste of blood beckoning me to gag. The trickling mucus down my throat feeling wasn't something I wanted to get used to. Gravity reminded me it never took a break when it pulled me down to the earth. A sharp pain was presented to my ankle, I almost felt like crying out but something caught my eye.

"Hello?" A pair of big round hazel eyes peered over the boulder. At my gesture a small figure popped out. The evening was beginning, afternoon leaving, and my sides still cramping. When the figure presented itself it was the monkey I had heard so much about. She had a pink flower in her left ear and was seen stealing food from the forest market.

She approached me with caution and when I refused to move she started to jump up and down, flailing her arms and hands around. She screeched and continued jumping.

"Yes?" I couldn't believe I actually expected her to talk. She simply nodded and continued jumping. I slowly stood up and followed her as she ran. She would always await me when I fell behind, somehow the forest seemed less…dark then before. After what seemed like an adventure later I arrived at the beginning of the trail to the village, where I was collecting the herbs…Sitting right there however was the basket. A dreams?

When I felt my head it felt slightly warm, perhaps a slight fever was taking my sanity. My stomach growling was the only sound within the forest…almost. I twisted my head to quickly, feeling a snap at a strange sound I was unfamiliar with. Children slightly snoring. I looked to my side as I rose my head from the frightening crack. To me right, leaning against the floral wall containing the trail was a blond sleeping Link. On each of his arms was a child, Talo and Colin. While on his lap against his chest was a sleeping Malo. So innocent and cute, all of them. The moonlight was showing and by the area of where it was it must have been one in the morning! I knew we would be in trouble but looking at Link I knew the parents would understand. So without further ado I picked up Malo from the deep sleeping Link. His light snoring matched the children's noses that whistled in sync. I could barely contain my giggles.

Malo was light and easy to carry. When I picked him up Link seemed to fall into an even deeper sleep with the children on each of his biceps. His pale pink lips parted, taking in a deep breath.

"Tallllooooo…." I whispered lightly. Trying to wake him enough so he could stand. I leaned over and brushed his hair out of his face, Malo on my hip and his head resting on my shoulder.

"Mmmm." He shifted slightly and continued to sleep under the moonlight.

"Can you please get off Link so we can bring you home?" I whispered and he seemed to shake his head. Link's head bent to the side in what looked like an uncomfortable way while his hair drifted over to Talo's nose and tickled it. Out of pity I ran my hands through Link's hair. My heat skipped a beat when he sighed.

His hair seemed white under the moonlight, his skin was clean and soft. His wooden sword off to the side looked cold and lonely without his big warm hands grasping it with courage.

"Link…we should take the kids home." I whispered again. As much as I hated it I had to wake them up to take them home. However…they just looked so cute.

After giving up, not like I tried. I took only Malo home to his mother, "Where's Talo, my boy?" She questioned when she took the drooling Malo off my hip.

"I'll bring him home right now, he fell asleep on Link. I'm so sorry for the trouble of keeping them out so late." I looked down embarrassed and their mom laughed, her brunette pony tail jumping from past her head.

"My dear, if you're with Talo and Malo I know you can keep them in line. Link on the other hand is too soft to scold them, he rarely talks anyway!" She joked. Her button was bulging at her breasts, for some reason never stopping growing…

As I promised I had made another trip back into the forest to retrieve Talo. He was slightly older and thus bigger than Malo. When I had brought him back my right arm was almost asleep. I then trekked my way back to the forest one last time. Thus I was almost brought to tears. Colin must have gotten cold for he was snuggled up next to Link. When they were in sight Link had shifted to his side and cuddled Colin like a protective brother, father, or even like a boy with his teddy bear! I almost hit myself when I reached out to wake them. They both looked so much alike and too cute, even in the castle square the kids there weren't as cute! Most of them in their frilly dresses and costumes were snotty and rude, always calling me old lady and kicking me in the shins whenever I took something away from them they would slip into their pockets and tease an old man or little girl.

I bent down, placing my pale hands onto the upper half of my leg. I leaned in closer, hearing their breathing. Sighing and not being able to bare it I sat next to them waiting a little longer to wake them. I tried keeping my breathing quiet and peaceful like theirs but in the end either I would sneeze and disturb the silence or fail to contain my squirming from bugs crawling around me. Nothing freaked me out more than a naked Malo or spiders crawling down my legs. I sighed when I decided to take them home, this was long enough and sooner or later they would get cold. I was on Colin's side and when he had sleepily discovered I was there he moved, bring Link with him.

Colin placed his head on my stretched out leg, soon followed by Link. Their heads were heavy but warm. I remember a comforting feelings I would get when my dad ran his hand through my hair when I was sleeping. I hesitated too much contact between Link and I, for I was more of a behind the lines person. I always felt self-conscious around him and weird. Even though I really wanted one when I first came here and Llia and Link offered me a hug, I shielded away and hid behind my father. Time and time again I would refuse contact from Link until the point I think he got the impression I didn't like him. To this day he respects those signs and keeps his distance away from me. A lot of times I wished it wouldn't be like this and yet I can't help it.

I slowly placed my hand hesitantly on his head. Taking it slow, I ran my hand through his hair close to his scalp. With my free right hand I ran it through Colin's hair at the same time. They were both blonde, around the same length of hair, same temperature, and both were somewhat clean. However after playing their hair was slightly sticky and smelly…perhaps it was wrong of me but somehow it felt better to touch Link. It felt more…right. As I thought this I took a deep breath and sigh to match it when I continued playing with their hair. They both were still sound asleep when I noticed more time had passed.

"Link." I sang, attempting to wake him. He slightly rustled and ended up burying his head into Colin's shoulder. I giggled and felt my heart fall out of my chest and down the forest trail to the Goddess's Springs when Link's crystal light blue eyes fluttered open. His sleepy and lazy eyes focused on his surroundings. He shifted slightly and noticed the form in front of him of Colin. Immediately a beautiful smile was painted onto his lips.

"Hello." I dared to say. He jumped at my sudden outburst and looked down to see my legs under his head. From the corner of his eyes he saw me and immediately his face grew red and sweat seemed to beat down his forehead with an awkward apologetic look appeared on his face. I began speaking to stop him from freaking out and making things worse, "It's okay. I took Malo and Talo home, Colin and you just looked so peaceful…I'm sorry. I couldn't help but watch you two sleep. You were both so cute and then you shifted onto me and-"I was just making things worse. Now I would freak out along with him. However Link just had a smirk on his face almost saying,_ I don't know why you're apologizing. You did nothing wrong. _His expressions could almost say one thousand words…For a boy that wanted to become the next mayor, he sure was careless. However I suppose that's what make him interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

I picked Colin off of Link he swung his arm around to stretch it. Something popped in in shoulder and I shivered at the sound and temperature around us. We walked side-by-side to the beginning of the forest spring trail. The trail was worn and old, made of dirt and surprisingly soft. Link seemed relaxed while every muscle in my body was clenched. He dragged his sword along the ground, almost falling asleep while walking. I kept silent hoping that for the rare time he spoke now wouldn't be one.

"Good night." I whispered as we parted, I went down the rest of the trail to the village while Link's house was pretty much on the trail. He smiled in response and sleepily climbed the ladder woven by flora.

With Colin on my hip I started losing blood around my bone. He slightly snored and at one point while entering under the arch of the village he smacked my face. I ignored the smacking, knowing it wasn't on purpose. When I rounded the tree I could see the house, the smoke still rising from the chimney and towards the bees nest resting in the giant tree. Beside the frog creek and up the hill we finally made it home when I realized…I had forgotten the herbs.

When I pushed the door open with my foot Rusl set down his wet rock in the middle of sharpening his blade and stood up to take Colin from me. Uli was sitting in her rocking chair, only a few months pregnant with their second child and knitting a pair of pink booties.

"How do you know it's a girl?" I asked Uli as she opened her eyes and I sat down by the crackling fire against the side of my face. She smiled and looked around for Colin, taking in a breath to answer, "Mother's instincts." She smiled and I nodded, perhaps just wishing.

Rusl put Colin to bed as I explained why we were so late to Uli. She smiled and thanked me for watching over him as she prepared for bed. Rusl finished sharpening his sword and told me that my bed was taken up by baby stuff from the attic. So I was left to sleep with Colin in his small bed. He was hot and sweaty, way too uncomfortable for I to sleep. Colin was hugging the wall practically maybe from habit maybe while I being the larger person I the bed took up half of it.

The air was warm, the night was quiet, and the only sounds were Colin's breathing and the little croaks from the frogs outside. I couldn't help but worry about the herbs in the forest getting eaten by animals or them going bad if it rained that night. Without a second thought I crawled out of the hot bed and through the wooden creaky door of the house. Every step I took on the porch squeaked louder than the neighbor's babies, which were squirrels. I hushed the floor and continued down the three steps.

"Where are you going?" Rusl questioned. I squirmed and ran in a circle on purpose to see him smile.

"I left the herbs by Link's house." I whispered and he nodded, drying his rock.

He just continued looking down as I slowly stepped away, unsure if he was letting me. He said nothing even when I tripped, slipped, and fell down the stairs. Totally paying attention to the drying of a rock I left him sitting on the porch, as quiet as a mouse. I looked back occasionally, making my way to the outskirts of the town. Once in the outskirts I noticed my basket actually right next to Link's house. Did he go back for it? Possibly he knew that I would come back?

I clenched the sides of the basket looking up at his window. Of course I saw the curtain move like every cliché story. I knew that early in the morning he would be on the farm, herding the goats from the even earlier grazing. I recall the moms in the village talking about how he didn't eat breakfast simply because cooking was never what he was focused on. Beth's mom whom owned the shop said he came by every afternoon when she had finally opened after morning for something to eat. Maybe I could make him something to thank him. It was a small deed but would be fun and a village gift since he always played with the kids and took care of the animals… always kind.

I had worked up the courage to bring what I had made him, making even more for the farmer named Fado. I had left the basket of herbs in front of the shop door and in return for being late I got a thank you and nothing more. When I had gotten home Rusl was waiting for me so he could lock the door and supposedly keep whatever was out there out there for a reason. When I awoke Uli was already up and sewing her booties again waiting for the sun so she could work down by the creek, "May I make some hot cakes?" I questioned her and surprised by my sudden interest she gleamed with pride. It felt like she was my own mother at these times. She would call me with warmth and an inviting feeling. She helped me make the thin hot cakes presentable. The only one that was burned was the one I of course made. She informed me that if I didn't say I made them myself she would make me cook even more.

I walked up the hill with the covered basket of hot cakes and milk. When I arrived Link was awaiting his time of need and passing time by staring up at the clouds. Fado was petting a goat and brushing off a mountain of unneeded fur. When I walked by him and tapped his shoulder he looked the wrong way and his eyes lit at the sight of my basket. Fado walked by my side and escorted me to where Link was laying on the grass. When he saw our movements he immediately glanced down and sat up, wrapping his arms around his knees.

"Uli helped me make you boys breakfast, since you never eat in the mornings I thought you would want some." I insisted shyly. A typical girl with hopes is all I was…nothing more. The sounds of Fado's stomach caught both Link's and I's attention. We both smiled as he slightly blushed and rubbed the back of his head, "Might kind of you, little tot." He called all the kids tots but I seemed to be the only one graced by the name 'little…'

I set down the basket and unwrapped the woven basket remembering what she said, "I made them this morning… myself." A strange feeling started within my gut as I took a toilette from beneath the jars of milk and put two pancakes in each. Uli and I had made nearly twenty. The boys took them gratefully while I nearly chewed my fingers off curious on how they tasted.

"Delicious." Fado informed, almost absorbing them into his face. Link had given me the typical silent treatment, I considered myself lucky however to be given a firm nod. He then almost inhaled around fourteen of them. Nothing was left except the jars by the time they were done. While they were helping themselves a single baby goat had taken a liking to licking my pants. I had a big wet mark on the outside of my lower leg. Fado informed me it was the only baby that made it through last winter. I didn't visit the farm very often and this is what made me regret it.

I followed the baby around as it followed me when I stopped. I heard a single man's scream which got more than my attention for I knew that scream anywhere. The mail man was here for a visit and possibly to give mail. He was a friend of Fado and the hungry goats. He occasionally gave me a letter from his father and only stopped by around once a month, same as my father. My father was a tall brunette man with peach skin and touch skin. I never saw much of him but I didn't mind, I suppose it's what makes daughters love their father even more. When they aren't being pesky fathers who follow their daughters and guard them like treasure.

"MISS RACHEL! YOO-HOO!" He yelled and skipped towards me, the flag behind him basking in the wind. "I have a few letters for you today! FROM Telma! FROM your Father! FROM Kakariko village!" He announced the rest and handed me a stack of letters. Slightly into the field I caught Link and Fado's gaze on me.

When the mailman had said his goodbyes and left I sat beside Fado who sat between Link and I. Fado appeared over my shoulder, checking my mail along with me. Link even seemed slightly interested. I slid my finger against the paper and ripped it open.

"Oh I love that sound." Fado confessed.

"Mail?"

"Envelopes opening! When their secrets are being revealed!" I giggled at his gleaming and unfolded the wrinkled letter from Telma.

"Read it aloud little tot!" Fado winked and I nodded.

"From Telma, Hello darling! Things have been lonely without you! I'm not able to keep the guards busy like you did, it's quiet without you hustling around chirpy and healthy! I miss you and hope you visit auntie soon. I love you bunches and send you luck with- End of letter." I wrinkled the paper, blushing at what it really said. Telma had sent me 'luck' with Link and my heart's situation…

The next letter was from my father. It simply told me of his whereabouts and how much money he has made. Along with how he loves me and won't be able to make it for my birthday or the festivals this month. I could understand his situation and ignored the feeling of sorrow within.

"It's okay little tot! Link, I, and the village will celebrate your birthday with you! If you really miss your dad you can call me dad or Link daddy!" He bellowed. With that last comment and at the thought of doing so my face was redder then the last non paint peeled part of the wooden barn that was centuries ago blood red.

Even Link looked uncomfortable then and refused to look me in the eyes. Next was the Kakariko village letter, "Dear Rachel, how are you? This is…Iila." With her name Links attention was on me.

"I wish to invite you to visit me on Death Mountain, I miss you and the games we would play! Just us girls, they have even opened a new and improved hot spring only to locals, with the acceptance of I and a friend! I honestly don't want to invite my father and with Link he would be too serious! You know how he is. Please visit me sometime soon! I wish to introduce you to my new friends on Death Mountain! Tell Link Epona is doing fine within my care and I don't let my eyes off her even for one second! See you soon, wish you and Ordan well! –Iila." Without warning Link ripped the letter from my hand and read it himself…I hated this feeling. With his eyes faster than speed, racing over the words without thinking I had snatched it from his view. He looked shocked at my sudden rage.

My face was even redder before, all I had wanted was to leave. With that thought in mind I told Fado goodbye, grabbed the basket and raced out of the small field and back to the village center. I was hoping deep in my heart that Link wasn't mad at me. I had also received a letter for a festival in Kakariko village.

When I arrived home Colin was just waking up and had a 'Let's go play!' Look. I cleaned the jars Fado and Link had used, stuffed my letters in my pocket and planned on talking to Uli about the matter of visiting.

"Rachel! Good morning!" Colin traced his feel around the floor seeming shy again. Even though he has known me for a long time he gets shy even around his parents.

"Good morning." I ruffled his hair in response and faked a smile horribly. He skipped into the kitchen buying it…my heart hurt.

I felt sad and depressed with the current events. It was then that I noticed Uli looking at me. I was trying to sew but instead made my cloth into a ball of stitches.

"What's wrong Rachel?" She questioned and I considered telling her what happened, "May I visit Kakariko village?" I blurted and she tilted her head in questioning, "Of course." I stared up at her in surprise.

"Really?"

"I don't see why not, you have only four years until being able to live on your own. You might want to discover the world more to find where you wish to live…I will miss you." She explained and I nodded.

"Thank you."

"No problem. When would you like to leave and for how long, dear?" She had called Rusl's attention from entering the doorway. He stomped his boots on the floor, wiping off any leaves and things.

"Only for about two weeks, a short trip to visit Ilia and perhaps visit a new hot springs and other things like that. I'll leave whenever works for you guys." I fretted truly unaware of my reasons. Perhaps I was using this as an escape from matters. I run away too easily. They both nodded, Rusl only because he had no idea what was going on.

They had both agreed to let me leave the next day because I had completed all my chores from boredom for the next year around here almost! I had begun packing and when I was almost finished Beth had stopped by to ask Colin if he wanted to go wake Link up from and afternoon nap. The kids had left and told me I didn't have to come because of the chores I lied that I had. I was actually packing almost everything I had. The four outfits I had, the rupees I had collected over a few weeks, my mothers doll I kept for good luck, and some small other things. They were all within an extra travel sack Rusl used occasionally.

"I'll escort you to the village entrance, who knows when the bandits start raiding from the valley." He cheered on his own abilities by practicing the moment I left the house. I followed Uli's instructions on which colored yarn to get, how much, and which password to use for a coupon. This is how the shop worked within the village. The only village anyway…

I stepped into the store and almost ran into the door stepping back out when I saw Link, Stupidity mode activated! I tripped over myself time and time again even though I was staring at my feet. I continued through the store, feeling his eyes on my back when I turned to the bucket of colored yarn to the left of the wooden desk within the small shop. Beth's mom had a smile permanently on her face it seemed. The only time she was sad was when Beth was sad.

"Good afternoon!" She chimed and held up a ball of magenta yarn.

"Link bought the last one, Rachel you gotta be quicker!" She seemed leaning from one way to another. I felt my shoulders slump and turned to him, "What use do you have with magenta yarn?" I demanded. He blushed slightly and looked back at my eyes daring…almost the way he looked at the targets he would hit with his sword. I felt my face relax as in a sad face. He looked surprised by my sudden depression and took a step towards me. At my slight movement back he stopped mid step.

"You two are acting like a married couple!" With that comment I left the shop knowing he didn't want anything to do with me.

Uli was surprised by Link's purchase more than I. She then looks focused on what she had left of the yarn and began a new project with different colors and the outlines of what looked like a hat.

"Can you go watch Colin for me? I believe Rusl is fetching the horse from Coro the oil maker…and soup so he won't be able to watch him today. I believe he is already in the forest trail behind Link's house with the other kids." I nodded annoyed, knowing she was doing this on purpose.

I had then walked towards the trail, just like every day knowing things would get better. After all, Link and I went through these faces almost every week. Nothing changed, nothing at all. It was all the same and would stay like this forever. We would be friends, unknowing of the existence of each other. Somehow I was fine with that. I knew he had feelings for Ilia and I wouldn't be able to compete against her for anything in the world. She was a lot nicer then I. She was friendly, smart, funny, forgiving, and could do almost anything. Wishing I could just leave now and not return I slapped my own wrist, reminding myself that it was a stupid thought. I had grown too attached to this land and the people in it.

Link wasn't seen at all, I was the only one watching over the children. Without him around I just noticed how energetic you had to be to watch over 3 boys that just woke up. Beth was a no show again, she would usually take over Talo and rule over the little group with fun ideas. I was for a moment surprised by the boys only in their undergarments, and plain pants until a few moments later.

"What are you boys doing?" I questioned.

"Were going swimming in the springs! Our clothes smell." Talo confessed and tossed his pants into the water…laundry. Oh fun.

While they swam in the glistening clear water I rubbed their clothes underneath getting all the dirt, sweat, leaves and other natural substances out of their many layers. After some time their clothes had dried and I brushed them with sweet smelling flowers from around the water.

"Join us!" Colin begged.

"Yeah, come on Rachel." Malo quietly insisted while Talo grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the water.

"I rather stay dry, I already bathed last night and will again tonight!" I warned and Talo laughed, "If you'll bathe tonight then join us and you can wash after words too!" his argument made sense but I was wearing white and didn't want my shirt see through. The sand was very inviting and I could hardly resist. The area around was bright, white, and shiny. I wasn't very tempted after Talo trying to rip my shirt off.

"Trying to get a look at me will be the last thing you do!" I joked as he blushed and I picked him up to toss him in the water. He however was heavier when his clothes were drenched and I ended up falling in with him.

I gasped when the warm sensation had washed away all the feelings of sadness within. Without feeling much tears fell from my eyes one after another, being drenched the young ones couldn't tell…yet someone else could. Link raised from underneath the water and I almost died. The boys laughed at my surprise. I used my arms to cover my front upper half of my body, not wanting my 'not wearing a wrapping around my breast' secret to be exposed today. It was the only day I didn't have one! My last one sadly had been too small…when I forced it, it ripped. I wanted small breasts ever since I was little. My doctor had even recommended wrapping myself tighter to prevent growth, it only hurt however. My breasts are smaller than most grown woman and I wanted them even smaller.

The children must have known Link was under the water!

"You little brats!"I couldn't help but smile as they laughed and swam around the small body of water. Link was now swimming in circles, not paying any attention to me. I dunked my head under the water to make the tears stop. TOO MANY FEELS! I was NOT enjoying being a young teenager. My short dark golden hair only reached my shoulder blades when it was wet.

"Rachel your shirt is see through!" The one time Beth was here and she says that. I'm guessing it's reaction but not only were Link's eyes on me. Beth rushed to my aid, an apologetic smile on her face.

"I'm sorry." She whispered with her high pitched voice. She waded into the water holding out a pink cloth for me, slipping off her brown sandals with her purple puffy pants bubbling with the slight forces of the water. I usually wouldn't care about these things, I would even take my shirt off and swim in my undergarments. I wouldn't cry around people or cry at all! I wouldn't lose it all like this! What was happening to me? I'm not myself, I can't let anything get to me like this or else who would I be? I can't be a selfish child at the age of fifteen.

"I'm fine." I smiled happily this time not faking and just walked out of the dazzling spring water and onto the sandy, cute, mini shore to watch kids swim. Just allowing my feet to touch the water. I finally accepted nothing would change by the outcomes of situations like this. I was happy now that I could relax and be myself more and couldn't wait for Kakariko village!


	3. Chapter 3

Uli had happily helped me pick out a decent traveling outfit and get ready. I was supposed to leave early in the morning but Rusl had disappeared, Uli thought he would be back by lunch but lunch had just ended.

"I think that it would be best if you were to go on your own, just follow the river outside of Coro's shack and inside the field. I've traveled plenty of times there on my own! Do be careful however of the occasional wolf. Those things do get nasty and approach you from out of the woods and caves." She warned. I nodded as she finished my hair. Every single little piece she had tried and tried again to force into a pony tail on the side of my head. My slightly wavy hair would leave bumps but it still looked fine in the end. As long as it was out of my face I was happy.

Something I had to sadly complete was make-up. To me just a line under my eye was enough to keep me satisfied. I never wore a lot of make-up like the girls from the castle square. The thin line I wore everyday seemed necessary, it boosts my confidence and gives me courage. It lets me know that I can do something to myself pain free and look different from every other girl in the world. I clenched my hands telling myself to calm down, feeling my nails dig into my skin.

"Almost ready." I dreaded the feeling of shoes. Flat ones, sandals, heels, anything! I hated them all, just the feeling. It made my feet feel hot, sweaty, and gross. When she held the shoes out to me I raised my eyebrows.

"You have to, there are a lot of dangerous thorns and things to hurt your feet." She lectured, standing up straighter and becoming the same height as I.

"Your…hair." She informed me that pieces had slipped out and my bangs that reached to the tip of my nose had been released.

"It's fine!" I interrupted her brushing them back into the bow. A single think silk green bow into my hair, green is my favorite color and matched my light skin and gray eyes.

"Yes, yes I'm sorry." Uli smiled and waved her hand up and down.

Even though I was given a few outfits I would pry only wear my favorite one. It's green like my bow except the leather. The leather is a dark brown that I love the feeling of. I wear a loose corset over a light layer of green cloth that starts around my neck and drapes down to my ankles. My actual shirt that is under my corset ties at the back of my neck. My corset only wrapped around my rib cage, starting right below my breasts. My pants were long and slim, dark brown so stains don't stay so easily. I had a whip curled around the side of my waist ready for use, usually using it to get the kids in shape. JUST KIDDING! I just used it to knock down some things from trees occasionally. It helps a starving girl for sure.

I tied the end of my bag, expecting Rusl to arrive last second. Instead of Rusl though Colin had made his way back home, "Where are you going?" A sad form of curiosity gleamed in his eyes.

"I'm going to visit Ilia." I bent down slightly to come eye to eye with him

"Can I come?" He grumbled, expecting no. He looked down awaiting my answer as I sighed.

"Colin you have to stay here with me and to help your mother out." I heard Rusl chime. He skitted his books along the wooden floor connected to his feet and presented a hand to his son. Colin peered into Rusl's tough skin and looked down at his new toy Rusl had promised him.

Colin's eyed had bathed the item all over, "THANKS!" He didn't even wait for a response. He simply took the item and ran outside to play with it.

"What did you give him?" I asked, only seeing a corner of it before it was swiped by the eager child.

"My first boomerang." Sighing he turned to look at me.

"I won't be going with you."

It took me a second to process his explanation, "I need to spend more time with Colin and the kids, they're all growing up so fast. Including Link and you, so I decided why not take a trip together. Link will be escorting you." He announced, opening the door to reveal Link behind it. Uli brought her hands to her face and smiled brightly, "Thank you for the yarn!"…magenta.

"Did you seriously buy the yarn just to give it to Uli-"

"Don't make it sound bad!" Uli waved her hand and took the yarn from Rusl to continue the small booties by the blazing crackling fire in the main room.

When Rusl showed his toothy smile I couldn't help but go along with the new plan, "I'll be playing with the kids in your guy's place. You deserve a break from the little rascals!" Rusl had just finished speaking when Link entered the house. He looked calm as ever but his eyes seemed warmer.

"Take good care of him Rachel! Same with you Link, I didn't take you in as my apprentice to let me down!" Rusl winked and seemed elated to show his enthusiasm for getting time off. Link had nodded and I closed my eyes and smiled at the situation.

"Don't be all touchy! The horses are outside tacked and ready for the all nighter trip!"

"All nighter?" I questioned and he nodded. I didn't think it would take that long to go across the fields of Hyrule.

Just as Rusl had instructed outside were two horses both with saddles and reins. The two horses were similar but one had a white streak down its face from between its ears to its top lip. Both a beautiful chestnut color too.

"Take your pick, they're both good tempered and fed." Rusl finished. I knotted my sack onto the horse and bounded up, my leather knee high boots almost refusing to bend at the knee. I hadn't worn them in such a long time, no wonder they were stiff.

"Don't bother saying your goodbyes, I'll tell everyone the kids pushed you off the bridge!" Rusl called as we left the presence of Rusl and Uli.

Maybe it was just instincts but protecting me wasn't the reason I thought Link was coming along…ignoring the little fact I looked around, taking in the beauty of Faron woods as much as possible. The quiet animals living their normal lives happily, the clocking of horse hooves, and the singing of bird while hearing the distant quiet miniature waterfall in the spring was all music to my ears. The lush bright forest was full of vast colors. It was very down to earth around Ordan, the air even smelled sweet. It was a true paradise here except for the occasional beast or pesky monkeys. Just as the thick trail began we were spotted by the children.

The kids noticed us taking a leave and rushed to warn each other, by the time we arrived at Link's house Talo was the only one missing.

"Why are you leaving?" Beth whimpered. Being the only girl around must have its down sides besides the wonderful lack of drama.

"Just a visit to Death Mountain, we'll be back in two weeks! Start counting." I mused. They walked beside us until we got to the bridge. All the children sulked and went home, losing two of their playmates I suppose was hard.

"Take me with you!" The small voice of Talo caught my attention.

"Talo your mother would be displeased if we brought you along." I warned and he shook his wild hair in rage.

"I want to come on an adventure! We never do anything in Ordan besides the occasional monkey chase through the short trail! I WANT TO! I WANT TO! I WANT-"

"No." I slowly turned my head in disbelief. Link actually SPOKE! His deep voice seemed to quiet the entire forest. Birds were silent, animals hid, and even Talo had ceased to make a peep.

"Link…" Talo muttered, he too was surprised by Link speaking. Link was always almost mute besides the occasionally yell when jumping to attack something. My eyes scratched at my lids, trying to get me to blink. The stinging sensation was soon too much with the warm air of Faron. Without the need of a second word, Talo dragged his tree stick behind him and slowly left for the village. I dared to glance back at Link, only there was no trace of him speaking. He was silent again and made no sound.

The birds started again and the tunnel to Coro's shack was soon within sight. I gripped the rope reins tighter, trying to ignore the pain between my legs. I was not accustomed to riding! My inner thigh was sore and ached. I felt that if I hoped off I would have to waddle the rest of the way…fine by me!

Link stared at me curiously as I was barely able to slide off the tall horse and onto the ground.

"Yes?" I questioned, challenging his gaze. He smirked and shrugged, continuing to look forward. I nodded in approval and easily kept up with Link, leading my horse through the tunnel. It was only a second under the tunnel until we came to the light once more. There was a gate in front of the tunnel, blocking the caves. Taking a sharp left we had made it to the small heap of crap known as a house for Coro.

"Coro." I called…he was asleep. Link dismounted while I tried waking up the boy by calling his name. His brunette afro was nothing to take serious. A bid family of 3 lived in his hair; Mother, father, and a baby…the jar of oil beside him caught my attention.

Link sat down on the ground, almost being stepped on by the horses twice by sliding away just in time. Before he did get stepped on I took his horses reins and led him to the tall grass around a dead end beside Coro's house. When they had realized I wasn't leaving them they both concentrated on eating while I concentrated on waking.

"CORO!" He snored even louder after my outburst…were all men this hard to wake up?

"Coro…." I breathed and he shifted…I couldn't take much more of this. I rammed by boot heel against the side of his butt and sent him flying off the rock he was sitting on in front of his fire and pot of soup. It was unlit and the soup looked…solid.

"Guy can you-" Knowing the routine already, Link swung his lantern across the wood underneath the soup sending it ablaze. He smiled and patted his head, looking for something. Just as he pulled out a small dirty rag and placed it over his head it began to rain.

"Come inside, the horses will be shaded by the trees!" Just as he said, the horses remained unaware of the rain that trickled away from the outskirt of the forest to meet the ground.

Link stepped into his house, holding the molded door for me. Inside the small shack was a bed and a table, barely anywhere to move.

"Make yourself at home...Guy can I interest you in oil?" He proceeded through his regular schedule. Nothing ever changed about him, even after four years. Link simply shook his head for the lantern oil. Outside through a hole in the wall I watched as the light faded from the fireplace, dimmed, and disappeared.

"Is there anything we can do to get across the fields without getting soaked?" I questioned, a chunk of hair swaying in front of my face from my half ponytail. Coro looked up for a moment unsure of how many passes were available, "Unless you can fly…nope." He shrugged…no it was then.

Ignoring the rain, I refused something so mall to get in my way and headed back outside for my horse. If Link didn't want to come then that would be fine with me, Coro had only wanted to sell oil to Link after all. The warm rain had felt good against my hot skin. Within Coro's house it always smelled of burnt hair that hurt my nose and was very warm.

"Come back soon…unless you're dead. Then you can stay away." Coro called after us.

"Okay." I simply replied and hopped onto the horse.

We trotted slowly towards a bridge that crossed the flooding river by the warm downpour. The rain made the warm evening slightly cooler until Goosebumps were being sent down my skin. The entire valley was soaked. Nothing for miles laid before my eyes besides hills of short grass lands.

"Try to keep up!" I joked towards Link direction. He was right behind me and if my eyes weren't lying he was shivering. I slowed down a little to his horse's pace.

"Would you like to rest?" I questioned. He shook his head, droplets clinging to his hair for dear life. His hood wasn't even up.

"I have an extra cloak, you can use it." He shook his head again. I knew he would get sick at some point if he didn't try to warm up or rest.

"Link…I don't want you getting sick, it's cold and getting dark. There's a tree near the bridge right there we can use to rest." I pointed into the direction of the small tree next to the wooden suspension bridge. He looks down at his hands and rubbed them together while shaking his head refusing again.

"Quit being stubborn!" I ordered. He glanced at me, not revealing emotions yet again.

"So cold." I sighed, both the weather and him.

I steered my horse to block Link's way, "We are resting…now." I stammered. Ordering him around was something I did once in a lifetime.

"No." There it was again. His voice that once in a while came out of hiding. Deep and slightly arousing, it sent shivers down my spine just like the rain did. I shook my head, "Is 'no' all you know how to say? Or maybe is the reason why you wish to arrive so quickly is because you wish to see Ilia?" He couldn't keep his gaze on me, instead he looked back down at his hands and rubbed them together…_stupid._

When we arrived at the tree I refused to move any further, thus making him dismount also. The quiet rain was peaceful and calming while I tore off a few branches from the tree for a fire. He simply leaned against the trees stump and rested his eyes, nodding or shaking his head to questions like if he was still cold, if he was hungry, if he needed something and so on.

"Speak!...please." I pleaded and he slowly opened one eye. His left eye danced across my face, "why?" he questioned quietly…this was actually going okay. I looked down avoiding his gaze and sighed, "Your voice calms me. It lets me know your still here with me." I whispered. It wasn't completely true, yes it was calming but not the way he would think. I wasn't scared at all. I just needed to know he was still willing to be near be, that's all.

"Why would…I leave?" He slowly questioned, tilting his head slightly when I glanced up.

"Because you always do." I puffed my cheeks out at his comment, "idiot."

"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY IT LIKE THAT!" I thought my voice would be louder but the rain seemed to drain it out.

"Aren't you the one leaving me?" Without waiting for a response he turned to one side and fell asleep…I needed an answer and I was going to get one!

I crawled to the side he was turned and poked his nose, "When did I leave you?" He twitched his nose, almost in frustration and opened his eyes to give me an '_I'm annoyed'_ look. No matter what look he gave me, I would still poke the tip of his cute button nose.

"Leave me be, I'm tired."

"When?" I demanded. He had totally ignored me and rolled over onto his other side.

"Hush." His voice was still enticing… never in my life have I ever heard him speak so much.

"WHEN?!" I closed my eyes and yelled, making him jump. In frustration he sat up with wide-eyes and ran his hands through his hair to move it out of his face, "All the time!" He had lost his cool. Perhaps with frustration but his head looked slightly pink. I ignored my feelings for a moment and bonked my head against his.

Feeling his head almost crack open mine hurt like hell but slowly getting closer to his face just to test his temperature wasn't on my to-do list.

"What…are you doing?" Link asked, unamused.

"Seeking signs of a cold or fever." I closed my eyes in concentration.

"What makes you think I'm sick?" He accused.

"You're talking." I spat back. He ignored the last comment and held still after I yanked his hair when he tried pulling away.

"Are you done yet?"

"Not until I figure this out, now stick your tongue out and say Ahh!" I demanded. He simply shook his head like a child or like Talo who also happened to be a child…

"You bug baby, do it!" I don't recall every talking to him this much or touching him this much. Yet he still refused.

I leaned closer to him, pressing him up against the tree.

"Say ah."

"Get off me Rachel!"

"Ahh."

"No!"

"Say it or else I won't get off of-"I was cut off when he moved slightly to the left and wasn't leaning against the tree anymore. Instead I tumbled right on top of him when he fell back.

"Your…heavy." I gasped. He rubbed the back of his head and elbowed me in the stomach on purpose when getting up. Perhaps I should have left him alone. Yet perhaps not…I watched him collapse again at the base of the tree, his breathing more rapid.

I felt his temperature and everything else Uli had done for Rusl whenever he was stressed or Colin when he wasn't feeling well.

"I told you so." I whispered as I prepared some herbs I had taken with me. When I strung out the juices of the mosses from the trails and other useful things his eyes fluttered open.

"How are you feeling?" I asked…he didn't respond. He simply glared at me. As soon as I offered him the juice however he had lost his glare.

"Hot…" He whispered and I blew into the warm juices.

"Different hot." He informed and I looked at him blushing…what did he mean?

"My clothes…I feel too hot with them." He whispered and immediately I sighed. What the hell was I expecting?! GROSS! I must and HAVE to stop this. I nodded to him taking this more seriously and untied the belt around his waist to remove his shirt. He started drifting off when I unbuttoned his shirt.

Fiddling with buttons and being unable to unbutton them is what I am best at. It took me so long to unbutton his shirt that it seemed the rain had almost stopped. It was still night but somehow without the rain it seemed scarier.

"Feel better." Out of habit I did something terrible…I kissed his forehead. When Colin had the flu or anything else I had done the same thing. With Link however I forced myself to sit out in the rain hoping it would somehow 'cure' whatever I had. Sadly in the end I realized mine was incurable. Love-sickness. Gross.


	4. Chapter 4

The morning came quietly and peacefully. Link had awoken before me to see my awful sleeping wreck. I was drooling, had bed head everywhere, and murmured in my sleep. He had again become silent, however now that his mild fever was done I didn't fret too much. Simply sliding my hair in a comfortable style we set out towards the river again. I could see it from here. The glistening, light, summer's water. In Ordon it had been similar but the high trees blocked the sunlight so it was never this beautiful. In the spring with no trees however it was gorgeous and warm. In the river of rushing water it made the scenery fit. The difference between a creek fall and a rushing river was tremendous. Forever breath-taking to young eyes. We arrived close to the river's bridge when I forced a halt, simply to do a few chores. For instance, I washed my face. Afterword's I washed some dirt off the slight feathers of the horses and beat the riding blankets. Link had washed some fruits to nibble on while doing absolutely nothing. His ass was as lazy as the goats on the farm. Occasionally we saw a rabbit lazily hop by, a bird over view, and Link even claimed to have seen a fairy. Everyone knows fairies don't travel this far from their homes. "Shall we?" I trilled, taking a jumping start to bounce atop the horse's back. Link just slid onto his, not noticing height differences. "Hold still…" I whispered to the horse, begging in my heart he wouldn't bolt after I accidentally kneed him in the stomach in my attempt to mount. Link simply ignored me mostly from pity and embarrassment. I had almost gotten use to not realizing he was around from his silence until we were almost to the outskirts of Kakariko Village. "When we get into Kakariko, you do realize I'll have to explain why I brought you along." I eyed him up and down annoyed. He nodded and kept going on his horse, a blank expression forever intact. "So what'll be my excuse?" I questioned. "Excuse?" He opened his eye to just a slit now to look at me. "Yes, I don't think she'll believe me if I told her your simply escorting me when I had Rusl." "The truth." He insisted so I shrugged and planned to blame everything on him. When we neared the gate I could see a few Goron's walking down the dirt path towards us, "May I help you?" I proceeded as they walked along with us. One grunted and shook his head as a no. I never thought we would get escorts into Kakariko. "So brother, how is Ordon?" One questioned Link. Oh how I love man talk… "Were doing just fine. How are the elders in Death Mountain?" He respected their choice of topic for conversation and continued. The mayor had asked Link to get news about his dear friends on Death Mountain. However, more and more I became frustrated and annoyed for some reason. I was ready to rip my blond hair out just for no reason. Then a voice came that I can't honestly say I was happy to hear, "RACHEL!" I looked off into the village to see that besides a large building that looked like it was made of sand bricks was Ilia. "Ilia, it's good to see you." I gritted my teeth as I walked towards her, between my legs was very sore and I was ready to walk for once. I have always been on the track of lazy, I can't lie. I enjoy the easy way in life even though it gets boring from time to time, it beats slaying the monsters that have been erupting from Zora's Domain lately. "How is my father?" When she spoke of the mayor I had then realized that I to had not taken the time to speak with him lately. "He is doing well, missing you undoubtedly." I confirmed and she nodded. After taking a moment to close her eyes and look like she was praying to the goddesses of Hyrule a little kid ran out from one of the buildings. From where I was, most of the large buildings looked rather similar. I followed the girl when she yanked on my hand into the building, as soon as I stepped in she seemed to have disappeared. Link was far behind, chit-chatting with the Goron's while Ilia followed me inside. "Have you ever heard of the twilight princess?" The child beamed from above the first story. I looked around for how the child got up there and simply lost interest in my own confusion, "Nope." The child looked disappointed and simply ran off. "Sorry about that, she likes to bring up old matters." Yet again, something I was not familiar with. I do remember however that a lot had changed when my father took me along one of his trips for the first and last time. When we got back to Ordon it seemed that some sort of big event had happened, most of the parents now kept their kids in at night and inflicted more rules. As time passed from my trip however the parents lit up. Perhaps the children had gone on a trip as well for the parents were very glad that day. Ilia showed me to a room on the third floor, next to her temporary room also until we had to trek up the mountain the next morning, "The sun will be up, it'll be warm, the water will be nice, and upon the mountain there will be a small breeze so everything will be perfect!" She flopped backwards onto her bed and seemed to drift out and in from consciousness. That is until Link stepped through the door. This time I was the one who flopped back onto my bed and buried my head into my pillow when laying on my back in hopes of suffocation. She had leapt into his arms and he seemed happy about it. I knew I shouldn't feel this way about Ilia or towards Link…stupid hormones! I watched as they chatted cheerfully and Link seemed to be unable to shut up. "Ordon is doing wonderful, Talo and Malo for once have helped with the harvest…" They drifted off when I left the room in attempt to find something to do. Something had struck my eyes and I almost fainted…was that Malo's face all along a shop?! I slowly approached the store with the faded signs and stepped in. I was immediately greeted by the stuffy scent of dirt, smoke, sweat, and many more things I had not yet grown accustomed to. "I have been waiting for you." I looked over the counter to see an ancient looking Goron. "I?" I stepped over the dirty rag of a rug and onto the wooden elevated floor of the shop. "Would you like to buy something, a love potion perhaps-" I knew where this voo-doo was going. "Nope." I looked blankly around as the crusty Goron looked surprised, "My dear…I can see it in your eyes-" "No you can't." I tried taking away any introduction of a potion I clearly didn't want or need away from him. "Look youngster-" "Sorry pops, I don't need anything like that. How about something else, perhaps something to cheer even a low soul like me up?" I placed a hand on my hip, the two matching like puzzle pieces from habit. The Goron looked annoyed with me and offered me a few other things like arrows, a mask, rope, and oil. I slowly walked out of the shop when he brought up directions for the bomb shop, we all know how that would end! Just the thought of smelling the sweet scent of its powder and chemicals lit my eyes on fire. Just hearing the deafening explosion was enough to make my nose bleed. When I stepped out of the shop I was immediately greeted by a chicken sitting on the outside of the door, the wind ruffling every feather it possessed. "Shoo." I waved my hands but all it did was cluck. When I tried stepping over it my cloak seemed to suck it up like a vacuum. "Go away, I don't need anyone." I warned and threatened to kick the chicken. I ran towards it but not even a flinch came from it. I slapped my forehead out of frustration from everything in this world… With a chicken by my side I slid behind a building at the site of a passage to the graveyard. "Not a very interesting place to go." I hummed. In response however the chicken clucked and ran over my bare feet. I screeched at the strange feeling and yet again chased after the dinner. "Damn bird!" I yelled and followed it into the graveyard. When I passed under the arch a few bells rang at my presence. The wind seemed to welcome me, it blew the bells and clanked them together that hung overhead on a thin branch. I walked through the dirt covered graveyard reading names, years, quotes, and the occasionally letter left beside a grave most likely from children. After some time I came upon the last grave, it was placed above the others in the back of the yard up some stairs. To each side was a dead tree covered in birds, not chickens. I paced back and forth between the trees, kicking the chicken whenever it stood in front of me. The damn thing had gotten itself lodged between the rock wall and a small boulder. When I moved the boulder I saw nothing but a dark tunnel leading to hell knows where. The tunnel was lit at the end with sunlight, the chicken peering in along with me clucked at the strange scent of seaweed. "Damn chicken, you go." I tossed the chicken into the darkness of the wall and it clucked while running down the small chute…would I be able to fit? I shrugged knowing it was likely a dead-end as I crawled into the small hole in the wall. Roots tugged on my feet, the ceiling knocking what seemed to be sense into my head, and pebbles beckoned the presence of my blood and lodged themselves within my knee. This outfit wasn't exactly fit for crawling, I had gotten stuck only once when a boulder was jutting out of the wall and prevented my hip from access. Simple twisting allowed me to get by though, after all I could see the light in front of me. The damn chicken wouldn't budge, it sat nestled and plumb right in front of me. I poked it and it bit me! I then flicked it in the beak and the thing's color seemed to turn pink as it waddled away in frustration. "I'll feed you to the crows." I warned and urged my body out of the tunnel into a highly forested small shire. "Where am I?" It was bright and the water was clear. I picked up a small log, some bark, and vines to row myself over to the other side, sinking slightly from time to time. "I hope you didn't drown!" I called down and noticed the chicken on my lap. "Get the hell off of me." I smirked and shoved the worried feathers into the water. It thrust its head forward and backwards, kicking to swim. While on the other side of the small area was a large stone in the shape of a fin. I felt like I had seen this all before as I tripped over a rock and fell into the water. Knowing why the chicken was kicking so eagerly, I felt something pulling me down. It wasn't just the seaweed. I screamed under the water out of reflexes, possibly the stupidest thing ever for I lost all my breath. The burning sensation within my lungs felt like too much, my legs ached with the cramping muscles, and I felt dizzy from my loss of air. Farther and farther away the light was getting. I looked down to see nothing but seaweed wrapped around my ankle. Giving my fears, I wished it was a hand. I kicked furiously at the gooey green nastiness to only be pulled down deeper, feeling rushing water towards the side of the small pool. Immediately I was shrouded in darkness, my worst fear. It was simply underwater caves. I calmed myself, feeling the odd sensation of the current, I thought this was just a small pond. I used what I knew of swimming from the deep springs in Ordon and the small lake near the kingdom's town square. Telma had occasionally taken me on a little field trip to either a random small lake or to Lake Hylia. She enjoyed a good tan every now and then while I just burned like a crab. I calmly swam to the surface, hoping to pass everything that happened today as a normal event. The chicken had decided it had enough to do with me and beat me to the tunnel in the wall. I was already wet so I tossed aside the idea of my small awesome boat I was so proud of and treaded water next to the small part of land I had wanted to get to. Just from the water I read the words on the grave, not being too surprised by the burial place. It was a small and secluded area near water, of course they would bury the Zora king here. Accomplishing my goal and feeling the tingling of cramps in my legs I swam to the other side where the tunnel was. I seemed to be a magnet to dirt now a days, the simple contact blessed me with a layer and coating of dirt that soon turned to mud. When back in the graveyard I could barely make out a bundle of feathers rushing by the gate and the bells of the entrance to the graveyard. "How nice of you to wait up!" I yelled and stood up, giving up the idea of brushing myself clean. When on my feet, I slowly walked down the aisle of graves thinking that one day I will be in one to. Not in the actual marking but just a buried body and nothing else. I don't know these people, so one day when I'm a pile of bones no one will remember me either. Perhaps the same with everyone else. Talo, Malo, Beth, Colin, Rusl, perhaps even Link. We're nothing but guests in this world, simply leaving in a mere tragedy. I made it back to the town, more time had passed then I guessed. The sun was already across the sky, hours could have passed. "Time passes quickly when you're having fun." Sarcasm was ablaze in my voice, I simply greeted it as an old friend. The sarcasm and I made a trip back and forth, through the small village. What made me stop and consider my whereabouts was the spring. It seemed that every village or place had what seemed like a holy spring. I took a few minutes to simply drench myself in the sunset with spring water until my face was visible. Once wet and cold, the evening air sent chills down my spine until a blanket was what I saw in my future. A blanket sounded nice but what seemed even nicer would be finding my bow. Earlier that day my green bow had kept my short blonde hair in somewhat of a pony tail, yet now my hair was free to bother my eyes. I practically growled at the growing of problems, glancing in the water for my bow…nothing. I accepted its fate, hopefully is was taken by the chicken and the bow learned its lesson. I climbed up the tail, my arm sore from being bruised against a rock within the tunnel in the wall at the grave site…that was a lung full. Too bad I'm only talking to myself or else I would be stuttering everywhere. I shuddered at the smell of sausage in the hotel, something I actually wasn't fond of. It brought the bile to my throat and I had almost immediately walked right back outside for the night until something grabbed my hand. "Rachel where'd you go?" I turned to see a curious Ilia. Her head was cocked to the side and I took in a breath to start explaining when Link butted in, "Pry off on one of her adventures alone to come back sulking and start new problems." Since when was he so mean and such a brat? I felt a vein pop in my head and his remark that seemed to be trying to hide under his breath. "I hope you bite your tongue and die." The bored expression on my face seemed to scare the child next to him even more. He was about to bite into something that was on his plate but slowly put it down, superstitious much? The girl beside him with short black hair glared at me, "Since when have you been so vile?" Ilia was looking in my direction but more down and seemed to be asking Link. The room was quiet except the wood in the fireplace crackling and the occasional popping and sparks of the oil in the lanterns. "I'm going to bed." Link announced and marched upstairs into the men's room, opposite of Ilia and mine. Ilia sighed and walked to the fireplace and continued eating…teens…gross. The little girl walked up to me, glaring still and made off with a green ribbon. Processing what happened I realized it and whispered, "That little shit." In Ordon we rarely get peaches for some reason, one of the things I miss the most from the kingdom. I had sank my teeth into almost twenty of them until a cook took the rest away from me. Everyone had gone to bed while I warmed my toes by the fire. The occasional warmth wasn't bad but too much gave me a stomach ache…Death Mountain didn't seem like that much fun. I made my way upstairs and was surprised by a crying Ilia who was immediately glued onto me. "Uh…Is something wrong?" It was a stupid question for me to ask, she was crying! Of course something was wrong. "It's my fault." She stammered, who crying was light…I envy her. When I cry, I'm a mess! "What's your fault?" I looked up at the ceiling trying to find something in my heart that would care, I'm such an awful person. "Why Link was like that." The stammered once again and I sighed at the realization, "Out of everyone in the world I think it would be my fault, he hates me!" I rubbed the back of my head, cheering other people up took a lot out of me. "No…It's my fault. I hurt Epona." The flowing tears had stopped and my eyes slightly widened. "But in your letter-" "It was right after I wrote it, I was coming down Death Mountain with her. The Gorons even made a special path for her within in the mountain." The tears began again. She explained how Epona had tripped and hurt her leg, then when she had healed they discovered she could never be ridden again because of a possible chance of splitting her bone with too much weight. I simply nodded at her situation and something in my heart was slightly relieved that I wasn't the cause of his outburst. Yet again, I'm a horrible person. I also knew I was part of it, perhaps if I never moved to Ordon I wouldn't have caused him so much trouble. "I don't think he'll hold it against you forever. I'm sure he trusted you enough to let you bring her here. Be happy things didn't turn out worse." Ilia was silent for a moment, slightly nodding. With that we both went to sleep, exhausted from nothing happening in my life. At least last night I hadn't drooled like always. I'll admit that I'm a terrible sleeper and crier, but I'm a young teenager that can't help it! 


	5. Chapter 5

"Wake up!" I felt like crying when Ilia screeched at me to get out of bed. Somehow I had managed to totally flip around. My feet were on my pillow, my blanket covered one of my legs, and I had knocked over a glass of water. "Were leaving when it's bright and early!" She gleamed…curse morning people. "Go wake up Link, I have to pack some more food since he's coming!" With all her yelling I'm surprised he wasn't already awake. I scratched my blond hair, flipping the choppy layered bands to one side and slid out of bed. Using as much effort as I could wield, I crawled to his room. Ilia pointed her hair to the side like always and laced the sides of her brown knee high pants up, just the way I remembered her by. She then bolted out of the room and down the stairs while strapping her rupee wallet to her waist. As I crawled down the hall I could already hear his snoring. I creaked open the bed to be relieved that he was a worse sleeper then I was. Usually he was awake before anyone so I could never see how he slept. Today was the day I exposed his weakness! The only light in the room was that coming from a dusty window. It was defiantly enough thought. The entire place was made of wood on the upper stories, bottom ones were all rocks and bricks. Nothing seemed to decorate his room in the slightest. The only decoration seemed to be Link himself. My eyes were not yet adjusted to this much light, I had rammed right into the frame of his bed with my thick skull. I cursed in my mind and slowly raised to my knees. His hair was poofier than usual, draping all over his face like a goat. His blond hair was illuminate by the sunlight and seemed to sparkle with his sweat. He was sweating more the Rusl! He snored heavily in his deep sleep, had no shirt on, sweating, had the last two layer of his pants on, and animals. Why was he so good with animals? By his side, snuggled up to his waist was a cucco and two cats. I'm surprised the horses hadn't also taken a liking to his skin as a pillow. I raised myself until I hovered over him and poked his nose…somehow I found him adorable…why?! He moaned, turned, and snored. "Wake up…" I continued to poke his nose until he cringed and moaned again, still refusing to get up. I pulled what blankets were somewhat on him off and shooed the cuccos and cats. "AWAKEN!" I screamed and his eyes shot open, blood shot and crusty. He was like an old man when he was just waking up. He growled at me and turned onto his stomach, covering his head with a pillow. I had managed to piss him off… Wonderful, Yay! "Leave me alone…" He groaned and I placed a cucco on his ass. "Rise and shine, your suffering with me!" I claimed and tried to march his lazy ass out of bed, "I'll stay here, thanks." I sighed and flicked the cucco. It immediately sounded an alarm and dug its nails into his- "WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!" He couldn't help but smile just ever so slightly as he tossed the cucco out the window to prevent an attack. He was standing on his bed almost into an attack mode until he turned towards the feet of his bed and fell backwards onto his pillow, once again trying to fall asleep. "Your sleepy ass needs to get out of bed." I announced and scrambled onto his bed, kneeing him in the gut while climbing over him. "Get off me." He complained, rolling onto his stomach. "You have to get up for me to get off." I declared and sat on his 'tummy' like Talo does. He coughed slightly and bulged out his stomach…weirdest feeling ever. "Go away." I noticed how much he was talking…best morning ever! "No, I assumed you were gonna join Ilia and I up the mountain." I sulked at his sudden burst in spirits. He slowly got up and went into the closet to get dressed. I laid on his bed and looked at the ceiling…poor me. Oh self-pity, hello! I haven't seen you in a while. "Look, I'm just here to watch over you two." He leaned on the wall and crossed his arms, he somewhat looked disappointed at me. I looked between my feet at him and pretended to squish his face by using my toes. "Hold still…this is fun." I laughed while squinting and he rolled his eyes. He turned to finish getting dressed and whispered something under his breath, "What did you say?" I called to him from the bed. "Nothing!" He yelled back. "Oh come on, you just said something…tell me!" "I said nothing!" "Yes you did! I heard it!" "If you heard me then why are you asking what I said?" "I know you said something now I just didn't understand you!" I yelled at him and from inside the closet he would yell back. Some person on the other side of the wall banged on the solid brick which I ignored. Through all my pleading he refused to speak. He dragged me by my feet off his bed and laid back down on his bed, "I said you're strangely familiar around me." I whispered, this time I heard him. I leaned up, hugging my knees and beckoned him to talk more. "Why wouldn't I be, I've known you for like five years now." I brushed my hair into another ribbon I found in my bag as I spoke. "But you're always so cold and distant." He claimed and turned on his side to look at little me sitting on the hard floor. "I'm cold and distant?" I challenged. He was always ignoring me and so silent. "Well…Yes, and you flinch every time I come near you. Are…are you scared by me?" He smirked at the thought and looked up in the corner of his eyes to think. I wasn't scared of him…I don't know why I flinched. I just get scared easily I suppose- Not scared! It's more of when someone sneaks up behind you…never mind. "Me? Scare of you? Why?" I tugged at a piece of my hair and almost passed out when I looked back at Link. He loomed over me like a giant, his face dark and a half smile painted on his lips. He was leaning of his bed, gripping the bed frame so he didn't tumble atop of me. "Oh so you're not scared of me?" I gulped silently and took a moment to find the right words that I wouldn't stammer on. "You're like the old grandma who's good with kids and animals and gives out cookies and keeps a million cuccos. Why would I be scared of you?" I looked at my feet and he sighed, moving back to laying down, "An old lady? That's nice of you." He folded his hands behind his head and as I opened my mouth to speak Ilia called us down. We were immediately sent out towards the trail up Death Mountain. It was about a two hour hike, Ilia was likely used to it but I rather ride a horse. Possibly even better, I rather not go at all. When would we go back to Ordon? In the early morning it was lukewarm outside, Ilia was right yesterday. The sun was rising and there was a slight breeze. We met Ilia by the trail and for a while I fell behind like a third wheel mostly because my stamina wasn't as great as the two before me. I'm just glad Ilia and link were sweating like me. "Keep up!" Link called behind to me, Ilia said nothing but smiled and waved at me like a penguin. When the going got tough, like when a boulder came crashing down that was the only time I was able to catch up. I almost thought of making my own way back down and staying in the inn until Link got back but the thought of Ilia and Link alone on this mountain made me shiver. Hell knows what I would think about. "Perhaps we should take a break?" Ilia announced just as I was about to fall off the mountain from loss of balance. "What for?" I stared at Link with blood lust in my eyes as I thought how I was going to kill him…perhaps pushing him off the cliff coming up. "Rachel looks tired, I also think we are nearing the check point." She smiled happily…way to throw me under the bus. "I think we can keep going." Link insisted. "If you say so." Ilia sighed, they are both going to die in their sleep! My lungs were burning and my legs were aching from the steep hot steps, I was Ilia's height but I had shorter legs and a taller waist area. When we sat down I could almost see over her head. For a few steps I had to hoist myself up while Link hopped up and helped Ilia up also. "Why not help Rachel?" She insisted and I waved, "I'm fine. I certainly don't need help from him." I clenched my teeth, I never want help from him! "Quit being such a baby." Link scoffed and sat on the ledge. I was maybe two steps under them. "Let's just wait for her." Link insisted and stared at me with his head in his hands. "Screw this, I'm done." I announced and hopped down a few steps until Ilia called me. "Rachel, please don't give up-" I could barely hear Link interfere, "If she wants to go we shouldn't force her." I clenched my fists as I hopped down a few more steps. When I rounded a corner I sat down and buried my head between my knees…this was stupid. How am I supposed to get down on my own?! I looked over the cliff and saw nothing but a sheer drop, the way down was a steep and scary staircase made of mountain ore and other minerals like sand. I peered over the side to see Link and Ilia continuing up the mountain but they weren't there anymore, I know I won't be missed. "Ouch." I rubbed my head and looked up, a pebble had fallen off the cliff. "You can't give up that easily." Link was peering over the side, another rock in his hand, threatening to drop it. "Go away!" I called up. He was only about ten feet up. "And leave you on your own? On a mountain? Alone? I don't think so, you would die by falling off or bring down the entire mountain with anger." He chuckled at his own retort. "I'm not angry!" I called back. The heat had made my face hot…that's all. He dropped another rock down, "That hurts!" I notified him about my pain and sent a rock flying back at him but missed him entirely. "You missed!" "I can see that!" He chuckled and dropped another rock. I scooted away from his range and into a crack in the mountain that I was barely able to squeeze into. "Rachel…Come out come out!" He called and continued to drop rocks. Since when was he so interested in me? I huddled close to myself and began to doze off until I hear a voice I'm not familiar with, "Yeah, she's down there." Link had pointed out. I ran my hands through my hair, attempting to put at least some of it back in the bow. "Hello, Little Sister?" I jumped at the sound of a Goron. "A little to the left…your other left! She's right there!" Link instructed and began laughing…some sense of humor. I peered out and saw a Goron smiling at me, "I have come to help. Sister Ilia is at the springs waiting for you, sent me to get you." His eyes were closed when he smiled. "Just force her out of the crack if you can, I'm having too much fun with this." The Goron slowly shook his head. "I will not to that brother, she is sad and forcing her would be an awful thing to do." Link had shut up at his comment. Damn pimp deserved it. "Rachel, I'll apologize but can we keep going up the mountain trail? I'm tired and we need to get up there at some point…crap." His green hat fell from his head and down onto the ground, in front of the crack I was in. I felt and heard him rushing down the wall he was on to get it, just as he jumped down and hit the ground I snatched it and retreated back to the crack. I giggled and hid it on the other side of the entrance, going deeper and deeper into the crack. Link was squatting down and peering inside. "You look like a little mouse." He smiled and spit to his side…nasty. "You're not getting your hat back." I called as he reached in and held out his hand, just barely touching me. "Can I have my Rachel back?" I stared at his open hand…whatever trick he was using it was working. I almost felt like crying, all my life he was silent and never said a word to me because of the hurtful things I did to him like flinch when he tapped my shoulder. Then one day he started speaking to me as a stranger and soon enough as an acquaintance more than a friend. The nicest thing he has ever said to me was 'Let's be friends' when we first met. This by far has passed it. He was 16 when we met, I was 13. Yet now he's 20 and soon I'll be 17. Somehow this seemed impossible, Link would most likely kill himself rather than saying that. I might as well live this out. I slipped on his hat and smirked at him. He shook his head while smiling and pulled his hand back. "Let's avoid the drama, now leave." I ordered. He could tell I wasn't trying to be mean, just didn't want to be laughed at when going up the mountain. "Hey, give me a lift?" He turned to the Goron. The Goron laughed and formed into a small ball. Link stepped onto his back, I frowned from confusion as he slowly turned towards me, "See you at the top." The Goron started rumbling and vibrating then shot up as Link winked and stuck his tongue at me. I watched him be shot up into the air and land on a cliff. He didn't take a chance to look down, he only made his way up the mountain. "Short cut?" I took a step back thinking he was telling me to do the same. He simply grabbed me with his arm and hauled me onto his shoulder. "You are heavier then you seem, Little Sister." The expression on my face was not happiness, my dear readers. He started crawling up the mountain with 3 available limbs. He seemed almost like a monkey. At first I was terrified he would drop me or worse, he would fall back and I would turn into his cushion. Yet, after a good solid five seconds I noticed how hard he was gripping the ground with even his feet. Riding on his shoulder and on my stomach was painful, like laying on a bunch of loose sharp rocks. "Do not worry, Gorons are made to climb!" He assured me and hopped up the mountain more than climbing. He made it seem easier than walking. I watched the side view of the entire valley and even some of Hyrule field. The sun had a few hours to go before setting, nothing to worry about. "I'm guessing Link and Ilia are popular around these parts?" I asked the Goron, I felt his rocky tan head nod, "They are our brother and sister, not many humans visit this mountain. We try to keep them out, occasionally we make friends. Brothers and Sister's friends are also welcome. You are our new Sister!" He continued bouncing up the side. When we arrived at the summit there was a small wooden shack and steps that lead down this time. At the shack was a Goron selling sunscreen, bathing oil strictly for Gorons, bombs, potions, and other things. A cute little Goron boy was running the store, "Hey Sister! Want to buy something?" I looked around the shelves from outside the store but couldn't find anything. I shook my head but gave him a rupee for 'good service' or so I called it. The boy had gladly accepted it and continued smiling, waiting for the next customer which wouldn't be for a while… "Ready to go, Little Sister?" The Goron that had been bouncing me up the mountain pointed to the stairs leading down, "Down that way and you shall find more Gorons and your Friends. Would you like to go on your own?" Honestly I didn't want to but he had already sat down and was leaning against a wall. Was it selfish for me to ask him to come along? "I think I can manage on my own." He nodded his head and dozed off as I made my way towards a strange statue. When the breeze swept through it, it made a strange sound like of a flute. Steam erupted from the ground as I walked towards the stairs, for some reason these ones seemed steeper. The entire place smelled of a mix between different irons, rusts, and lava. On all sides were steep walls except a few cracks and the stairs. I hopped down a few and was already tired. For some I had to slide down because they were too steep. I was 5'10 for crying out loud! The Gorons hovered over me so must be around seven feet! Ilia was maybe a few centimeters taller than me and Link should be around 6'4… why am I thinking about these things? I finally made it down to a sort of arena. On all sides it was blocked in my walls and a factory looking setting. A broken ladder told me humans haven't been here in a while. "Hello Sister! May I help you?" I turned to see a Goron around the same height as my escort but a darker shade of…rock. "Where's the spring at…Brother?" He laughed and pointed to the ladder. "You have a few of those to get up, would you like some help Little Sister?" I nodded my head, just hoping that he wouldn't toss me over his shoulder. I stared at him when he morphed into a ball…I prefer the shoulder part. "Hop on." He yelled from inside his ball…self. "I rather climb…." I didn't mean to sound mean or anything but- "Nonsense!" A Goron grabbed me from behind and placed me on his back. "Just lock your knees and you'll be fine!" He laughed at my frightened expression as the Goron shot me up. I don't remember anything except for falling on my butt. I was apparently 'successful' at making it up the wall but I still landed on my ass. A few Gorons that watched my fly up and heard my scream laughed as I covered my face. I peeked through my fingers to see another Goron roll into a ball, another one lifting me up, and another Rachel moment ready to cry. When I was bolted up I again fell on my ass but was also on my shins. This time I was shot up into the springs and landed right beside the water. "Hey there!" Ilia waved and smiled sympathetically at my petrified expression. "Poor girl..." Ilia pet my head and helped me up. I sat on the edge of the spring, my feet swishing about in the water. Ilia told me about her studies, who her teacher was, that we would be staying here for a few days, and things like that. Link was almost asleep in the water. He was resting his head on his folded arms on the side of the water. Occasionally Ilia would pull him towards the center of the spring to the deep end, trying to get him awake. "You're so tense!" She laughed and punches his shoulder. "I can't help it, I've been climbing a mountain all day." He smirked and floated back to his sleepy place. Ilia grabbed my foot leg and pulled me into the water, "Don't tell me you don't know how to swim!" Ilia gasped and I shook my head. "It's not that, the water is just too hot." I gave a smile trying not to laugh at myself. "Then slowly get in, it feels great when your finally in! Right Link?" He was barely conscious now, he waved and hummed as a response. "Mr. Sleepy-head! You can't sleep now! It's not even an hour past dinner time!" She splashed him and he jumped. The water trickled down his blond hair like Ilia's. Even in the water the point in her hair remained…amazing. "Ilia!" He growled playfully and turned towards us. "Rachel why did you splash him?!" Ilia winked at me and laughed. I looked around confused as Link looked at me, "What did I do?" She laughed and tugged at my leg again. "Come on Rachel, when you get used to it it'll be more fun!" She pleaded. I really did want to get in the water, I love swimming. The water was practically boiling my skin off though. "No, no, no, no. no, no…" I continued. When I started sliding off instincts reacted faster and I leached onto Ilia like a baby to its mother. "Rachel, you can ride on my back if you want to. The water makes you super light!" She insisted and shifted me onto her back…I felt like I was a turtle. Link watched us with a funny expression on his face almost like, 'What are you doing?' The spring was about twenty by twenty feet, in an odd square. Her hair smelled of lilac mixed with smoke and her skin was rough, most likely from the contents in the air of Death Mountain like smoke. "Rachel are you used to the water." I gripped my arms around her tighter when she tried lowering me. "You're like a baby!" She laughed and reached to pet my head. The water was now at my stomach, it was true I was getting used to it but when she stood it was to her shoulders, there was no way I was ready for that. She was hanging onto the side to prevent me from sinking…and escaping. Link was swimming under the surface, occasionally grabbing wither Ilia or my ankle to get us to scream or worse, get her to drop me. "Link, stop that!" Ilia laughed as he swam by and submerged at her shoulder between her face and mine. I was resting my head on her back lazily, the warm water made me sleepy. "You look comfy." Link said and sent a few droplets of water from his hair onto my face by shaking his head. I pushed his head under water and he grabbed my wrist, coughing water. "Was not ready for that." He shook his head again and released my wrist. Everyone's faces was getting red from the hot water. We had been in the water for about half an hour and already the few Gorons were leaving for a meeting of some sort. After an hour of chatting Ilia had begun to sink slightly under me, the water was around my breasts but I was still too cold to accept it above that. "Here take her." Ilia backed up against Link, squishing me between them. "Nope nope nope." I kept repeating until Link grabbed me from under my arms, "Take this? She was close to being absorbed by you though and looked so comfortable. I don't know if I could ever take your place." Sarcasm was dripping from his voice. I squirmed in his grip, his hands were hot! "Shut up, I'll take her back when my legs stop hurting from treading." She stuck her tongue at him and he shrugged…there was no way I was hanging above the water for the next hour like this…my underarms were hurting. "Put me down!" I squirmed some more and Link laughed, "If you insist." He slowly lowered me into the water and when I realized what he was doing I clung to his arm. He laughed some more, "I meant on the ledge." I hissed and he nodded. "And have you escape? You would get cold though and we would have to start over you big baby!" He laughed…is this the real him? He has seemed so different since yesterday…and before that. Ilia pet my head and Link lifted his knee for me to stand on. Bit by bit I slowly sank into the water, "I think you're ready." Link swam away from me and I sunk to my neck…Ilia must have been on her tippy toes. "Are you-"I didn't get to finish because I went under. "Kidding you?" Link finished and I kicked water his way. The warm water burned for a minute or two and then was fine. I pushed my hair behind me and took out my bow. I wasn't wearing my corset or anything else except my tan pants and a tank-top made from scraps of cloth, near the same color but not exactly. I used it as a bathing suit or work clothes so I wouldn't think much of it when I had to toss it. "So are we swimming for the next few days?" Link looked towards Ilia and she shook her head, "We will for a day or two if you guys want to, there's also a spa they just put in and I thought we could visit the elders in the mines. Link you haven't seen them in a while, have you?" Link nodded, "Sounds like a plan…If you ladies will excuse me, my stomach is about to devour itself." "Rachel, why not go with him! You haven't eaten anything since breakfast, right?" Ilia insisted and I shrugged. I was starving. It took me two tries to finally lift myself out of the water. Link smiled and pointed to some stairs AFTER I got out. That was our day. We climbed the mountain, swam, and now we would eat. Oh food…how I love you. 


	6. Chapter 6

A cave near the spring is where we all slept. "I can't sleep with Link's snoring." Ilia giggled and I bobbed my head. The boy was out cold while we were still awake. "It's still not that late, let's go swimming!" She requested and turned on her side to face me. We all had slightly thin beds in line and next to each other, "Now?" I asked and she beamed. She was a sweet girl but also slightly mischievous. "It's dark out and if you toss in jars of glowing gems it lights up the water." It sounded awesome. "Okay." We both leaned up and because of Link being such a deep sleeper we could be almost as loud as we wanted. "Let's just get dressed in here." Ilia was as calm as ever as she began to strip, "But Link is right there." I raised my eyebrows at her. His head was off his bed and his Adams apple was as clear as the water in Lake Hylia. "You think he'll wake up? Look at the boy." I nodded and sighed…somehow this felt more stupid then embarrassing. I finished getting dressed first and when she was done she sent me to collect all the empty jars around the room and stores while she took a stash of glowing gems. There were a lot of empty jars in Link's bag for some reason. When I grabbed as many as I could carry we headed to the spring. We popped them open and slid in some shards from the gems that wouldn't fit into the jars. When all were filled and placed in the water it was like a neon rainbow. "Don't be shy." She whispered and got into the water, this time I didn't need help and was prepared for the burning sensation. "Don't tell me you're going skinny dipping?" I almost gave up on the idea of swimming when she placed her swimsuit on the side of the spring. "So…Why don't you tell Link you love him?" I choked on my own saliva when she said that when I slid into the water. "What's with that all of a sudden?" I coughed and she chuckled. "You're a sweet girl, I honestly did love Link for a long time. Ever since we were kids. Then I realized that I didn't have many options, he was the only boy I knew around my age." I nodded understanding her situation. "I never knew what other types of men were out there. Then when I came here I met someone…" She slightly daydreamed off. "A…Goron?" I asked and she laughed shaking her head. "No, as sweet as they are they're not my type. You see, when I lived in Ordon my father was always the one getting the mail. I never met the mail man even." "So…you're in love…with the mailman?" She laughed again and shook her head. I laughed to at the thought, the man dressed in white shorts too short for him and a white tank top being an option for her was sort of sad, as mean as that is. "His apprentice." She announced and I lifted my head to nod but ended him just being confused. "He has an apprentice?" "He took one in last month, he delivers my mail if you know what I mean…just kidding." I gagged at the thought. She explained how the young man looked and also how he acted, he actually didn't sound that bad… "So why haven't you?" Ilia gave me a pouting look. "Don't tell me my Link will forever me caring for goats instead of his children." Yet again I choked on my own saliva. I don't remember her being this…forward. She also never seemed this girly…I now know why they call this place Death Mountain. "He still loves you." I sadly admitted and smiled at my own pathetic being. Ilia looked up at the sky, "We'll have to change that." Ilia whispered. "What?" I looked at her wide-eyed…was I making a new friend?! "I'll be honest with you…I'm never going back to Ordon." "What?!" She covered my mouth with her hand and gave a sad but then elated smile. "I love everyone there but it's too boring there. Here there's so much to study and new events every day. To be honest also, my father wouldn't want me being with the mailman's apprentice." I gave her an understanding look, "What about the kids? They'll defiantly not be okay with this." "Do you remember every detail from when you were 10 and younger? I don't, why would they? They'll forget me and grow a bond with you ever more then now. You should be there for them, I also think your better with kids. I would never play with them much when I lived in Ordon. I usually busied myself with Epona or the older residents." More and more this was making sense…I didn't like it. "What's the mailman's apprentice's name?" I lifted and eyebrow and she dazed off again, "Dreamy…wait what?" "His name is Dreamy?" I laughed and almost drowned. "Well, it could be." I thought for a moment…why am I such a horrible person? I realized what a terrible person I am just now? I've been mean to Link all these years even with the small things, I gamble with kids, I tease Link, and I have bad opinions about people. I sound almost evil. "Too much darkness in your heart." I looked up to see no one except Ilia going on and on about the Mailman's apprentice…perhaps the steam was getting to me? "…and that's when I met him in the village because he was lost so I guided him up Death mountain and we talked and talked…" Girls are weird. After some time of talking about Mr. Dreamy and her arrangements to live in Death Mountain with her Hubby we saw a little Goron Boy approach us, "Wow…Sisters got it all lit up! Can I swim to?" "Yeeessss…" Ilia slowly said as she smiled and reached for her swim suit. The little boy had just sunk into the water and didn't resurface. At first I freaked out and thought he died but Ilia informed me how Goron's didn't need to breathe...strange creatures. After an hour or so I had completely forgotten about the sunken Goron. "I've told you all about my man, now you spill about yours. What are your thoughts on Link?" She smiled nicely like always while asking a question I expected Ganondorf to ask himself! "Well…I don't know. He likes the color green?" She giggled and patted my head. "I don't know much about him either, when we were living together he was gone for a while and a few of my memories are still blurry." She smiled…blurry. "Blurry?" I asked and she nodded, "From when I lost my memories." "You lost your memories?" My eyes were wider the before. She then looked surprised, "You haven't…heard about…" She looked my facial expression over and sighed before she continued. "I suppose I'll have to tell you now. Have you heard of Zant?" I shook my head, my mouth open and my ears ready. "Well right before you came to Ordon, like right before! The kids of Ordon were all kidnapped, including me. Colin and I were first to be taken and we were in the springs right after I had a fight with Link about Epona. What I heard was Link chased after us to just be stopped in his tracks. I was left behind and wandered on the brink of death into the kingdom square. I found a Zora boy and was taken in by Telma." "Telma? She never told me…" Around this time I suppose I was on a trip with my father, when we got back the doctor had sent a rather large bill to Telma. Yet she told me it was nothing and she had simply paid a visit to Kakariko for an old friend. "Yes…after a while Link had found me at Telma's and took the Zora boy, Telma, and I to Kakariko. There the chief helped the sick Zora child. I hadn't gained my memories until much after that when Link once again visited us there and then brought me something from an abandoned village." I zoned in and out, getting the over-all idea as she slipped herself back into her swimsuit. "What I heard was there was a small girl always accompanying Link who then disappeared after evil was vanquished. Then the kids and I rode in a wagon back to Ordon, the same day you arrived with Rusl and your father. Everything returned to normal and here we are." She smiled and my mouth was dropped open, "How did I NOT hear about this?!" I felt my face grow slightly pale…I now know all the inside jokes. Ilia and I started feeling lightheaded as the sun started to rise. We freaked out at what time it was, put the things back and hopped in bed preparing to blame 'lack of sleep' on Link and his snoring. "You two sure slept in." Link said casually as he ate what smelled like porridge. "Your snowing kept us up all night." Ilia groaned. "Snowing? I snow in my sleep?" He laughed. "She meant snoring." I moaned and flipped over away from him. He was sitting on Ilia's bed and had his feet up on mine. "Sit on your own bed!" Ilia was cranky when she was tired. Link shrugged and took his wooden sword with him as he left. "Go after him, if he gets lost it'll be my fault." Ilia whispered and fell back asleep. I wiped the drool from my face, "Why me?" "Because you can keep him company and get closer to him." She clicked her tongue against the side of her cheek and remained asleep…She's like my father or Beth's mom. I chased after him and for some reason he accepted my company, "Come to complain about my snoring or snowing?" He questioned and I shook my head while following him up a dirt hill that lead to a great view. I placed my hands folded and behind my back, "I'm here to keep you from becoming lost and to get close- to the…rocks." I said and he looked at me slightly worried, "The…rocks?" I faked a laugh. "It was a joke because they're everywhere…how do you do this 'joke' thing?" I continued to fake laugh until things got awkward. Link tilted the sword and placed it over his shoulder, "I wonder if Rusl has had it with those kids yet." He smiled and looked at the rising sun, perhaps five hours of sleep is what I got? "He might be using the kids as targets by now." I actually made Link laugh…he chuckled mostly and for once it wasn't directed at a mistake I made. "Are you hungry?" Not waiting for a response he tossed an apple to me. I immediately sank my teeth into it, it was slightly dry but otherwise delicious. When we got to a new level of the mountain there was a dead tree with a lot of gashes in it. It was the only tree I had seen since the outskirts of Kakariko. "You've practiced here before?" I questioned and remembered the story Ilia had told me about his adventures. He looked at me with melancholy blue eyes, "Yeah…I've practiced here before." I nodded as he held the sword in a stance I see Rusl in a lot of times. For a few hours I sat on a rock with a dip in it so it was slightly comfortable. I used a rock to carve into another one, glancing up occasionally to watch Link practice hitting the scarred tree. Pieces of the black bark fell off as he continues hitting it, his blond hair being saturated with sweat. "You don't have to stay if you want to head back to- Watcha carving?" he asked and as he took a step towards me I launched the rock off the ledge. It fell down and we continued to hear the clanking of it as it fell…"Was that necessary? I bet you 20 rupees I can find it!" He smiled and started towards the path. "Wait a moment!" I took a step to fast and started falling forward until I almost knocked into him. Instead I ended up grabbing the back of his tunic. I clenched it and refused to let go even though he didn't ask me to, "Yes?" He questioned and turned his head back to look at me. A drop of sweat hit my hand, "Gross." I whispered and he sighed, "Sorry about that. I'll go clean up." He sighs a lot. I wiped my hand on my pants and pointed towards the ground. "What?" "On your knees." I ordered. He looked down at me strangely and shrugged while tossing his sword to the side and getting on his knees. He was now shorter than me…I loved this! I used the corner of my shirt and wiped his forehead. It immediately made it damp. At least now he wouldn't be all sticky and gross. Talo gets like that a lot and it just gets nasty- His eyes were beautiful. "Thanks." He said and I blinked. "What?" I asked now conscious. "You just said I had beautiful eyes." He smirked. "I did?" He nodded. I must have been speaking my mind… I smiled back, there it was again. The sad look in his eyes. I patted his head and stepped aside and walked past him. I awaited as he grabbed his wooden sword and walked behind me…now which way did we come? I let Link lead the way back down the steep parts, "Don't fall on me." He warned and I nodded. It's not like I wanted to fall on him. "Walk backwards, this part is steep." I nodded and crawled down backwards, "I'm loving the view." My face grew red…was he talking about my ass? If so he's growing bold. When I was able to stand up I slipped. Of all times, not when I was walking backward down a steep hill but now when there's flat ground. I made a 'yip' sound when I fell. Link looked back at me, "Did you fall?" I bit my lip and held my ankle while shaking my head. The breeze pulled strands of my short hair out of my bow. "Then stand." I looked at him with an 'are you serious' look. He smiled and stroked his chin. "I'll crawl." I insisted. "Or ask for help." Link held out his hand…to cliché for me. "I can do this on my own." "I'll feel bad if I made you walk with something broken." I'm glad he was so worried about his conscience. "I've got this." I tried to inform him. He shook his head and threatened to drag me, still I refused. I hit his shoulder and his arms over and over when he picked me up, I didn't want to be a burden! "Put me down!" I bit his neck and didn't get the reaction I was hoping for…he groaned. That immediately made things awkward. For once he was blushing more than me, and my face naturally has the blushies! I remained silent the rest of the way, "Pretend you never heard that." Link warned and walked off after dropping me beside Ilia. "So what happened?!" She squealed and clenched her hands. It took me a few moments to recuperate from that. "I think I discovered…his sweet spot." Ilia looked like she was going to pass out or have a nose bleed. "Where?" She looked as intense as I was dazed for a moment. "On the right side of his neck." I slowly said. "Interesting…" She was in deep thought for a moment. "What are you planning?" there was no sign of innocence on her face. "Nothing…So where's yours?" "Mine? I don't think I have one…" "Nonsense. Everyone has one." Ilia sure has changed from when I first met her. "I honestly don't think I do." I confessed and she looked slightly down… "We'll just have to get Link to find it!" I scratched my head…she's insane. She bandaged my ankle as I told her what happened and the first question was, "What did you carve on the rock?" I thought for a moment…what did I carve on the rock? "I honestly can't remember…." She looked confused at me…what did I write? "Well…try to remember. It's a small matter I suppose so maybe that's why you forgot…" I nodded and looked around for something to do. "Let's go the spa!" Ilia must have noticed my boredom a sudden and I was able to use my foot slightly with the added pressure. "It's just a little ways away." She assured and walked slowly to accompany me to the spa. In the spa the warm rocks that were being placed on Goron's were the size of me! Ilia took the challenge and had her back popped a million times from the pressure. I sat in a bath made of goop…I honestly have no idea what it was. It made my skin soft and other things like that though so win win. Ilia doused me in some sort of oil and then some Goron's placed that I thought was a wrap on our backs…turned out to be squid from the mines. Over-all it wasn't that bad, Gorons who worked in the mines often came here for stress relief. "Let's go back to the spring, I can show you what I learned of spring water!" Ilia boasted. I actually wouldn't mind a visit to the spring…over all this felt like the inn in Kakariko village but with a mud bath. After that just like Ilia said, she lectured me until night fall about a single topic. Water. Ask Ilia about anything from Death Mountain and she'll give you an all-day lecture about it. She told me about the seasons, visitors, more about the Mail Man's apprentice, how the fumes in the air can make normal people go coo-coo-catchoo, and something about a Goron named Darbus. "Fascinating." I managed to murmur when she finally finished. My brain hurt and it wasn't just from sitting in the spring water for a long time. 


	7. Chapter 7

Life was calm and slow. Nothing big happened, Link went into the mines to talk to the elders. Ilia and I remained in the springs for a while. Ilia gave me a package of letters to take to Ordon and Kakariko when Link and I returned. I lazed around doing nothing like every day of my lifeYou could collect 't everyone do that?True

**m better at riding then he is, I just have trouble getting ON the horse.**Rachel, I don** I shook my head at Ilia**You could open a shop in the castle I go back to Castle Town, I will most likely just work for Telma again. I don

**I opened my eyes and looked at her in confusion. **

**you've never heard of Skyloft?!crazy. **

**I suppose I got myself into the lecture. She told me about Skyloft how it was a small town in the skyin the sky. **

**t believe me do you?**Ask Link about Skyloft, he** I sighed and splashed some water away from me for no reason. **

**I looked up to see Link covered in**Oh your back!I am** Why was he calling himself by his name? **

**At the mention of that for a moment Link**Ilia!Hey she has a right to on** I looked at Ilia confused when she waved her hands at me. **

**how old are you?**Does age matter?

**I continued. **

**m not avoiding it.**Then answer what?t ready for,

**Link challenged her. **

**I trialed my voice off waiting for her to burst with enthusiasm. **

**s when someone is brought back to life after they died by-**Ilia! Please!t I able to know? I know absolutely nothing it seems.

After pointless time bickering I seemed to cross the line slightly and ask Ilia,

s enough! I dons just keep it at 20-Thousand years old!s eyes were wider than ever as she excitedly got closer and closer to me.

t see how that is possible Ilia** I started and she gave a half smile while rolling her eyes. **

**m telling you, he was rebirthed sort of.**Itt help it! Itm reborn.t understand or believe it.

Ilia seemed more and more interested in my reaction, **She persisted. **

**m interested now.**You** I ordered** the hell is a friend-zone?Its use. They have different zones in their relationships. The proud Goronre not a sexual reference ?oh god.

s when-t going to finish.

s keep him thinking it** I blew. Link looked so confused right now, I don**For the last day let** Ilia exclaimed, my ankle was feeling much better. Nothing but a small obstacle. **

**s not!**Aw why not?Because I** I admitted it. I am lazy and proud of it. **

**s okay, Ilia and I can go alone.**Have ** Ilia gave me a look that said if I donm deadm actually okay with that. **

**ll see you guys when you get back.m acting like a teenager and itt returned. It was cool outside, the breeze streaming through my hair. Next to my bed was a small box of matches, only a few left. The candles in the room were dusty and old. They had a bumpy texture and smelled of silt. I fumbled with a match and failed with two. When I finally got the red lump lit I almost burned my finger. I sucked on my finger after I got a candle lit to light the others. It took a few seconds for the quick to catch as I processed what was happening. Ilias what happens I suppose when there is no door except a cloth for a curtain. I pressed my knees against my chin, leaning against the wall at the head of my bed. I took in a deep breath just to clear my mind. No reason for me to worry about them, there werens stomach. **

**I jumped at the deep voice of a Goron. **

**My voice cracked and I coughed. **

**m afraid he The Goron thought for a moment, at first I thought he had left until he asked if he could come back with an answer from the elder. A message from the elder, it canll let me hear it. **

**When the Goron came back he said that I would have to be with Link to hear it, so we waited for Ilia and his return. The Goron simply rested outside against the wall while I was kept company with my candle. **

**in the shop.s voice short after. **

**Ilia at first was confused, yet she pulled back the curtain and brought me along with them to see the elder. The only thought I had was hoping my candle didns shoulders so I didn** is he?That is the oldest Goron , let us test your strength!Yay!What** I had my chin resting on her shoulder, s sumo-wresting. They get shirtless, wear underwear and . Is my nose bleeding? **

**TwoGO!**Ones stomach and the two pushed each other with as much strength as they could manage. After a few punches that should have sent each other flying around the world a few times the round ended. For the second round Link was thrown off the platform and into another Goron, **The Goron gave a burly laugh and they started the next round. Two out of three seemed like the rules. **

**As Ilia cheered and Link lost to the Goron Elder he had told us the message anyway, t know why he was kept hidden until now. Something identified as Liquid Kill. It turns out itm afraid that what he is making in there is too terrible to discuss at a time like this. Our lost warrior I had no idea what they were talking about but in my entire life I have never seen Link so serious. **

**ll take Rachel and go.**Now** I called as she pushed me through the tunnel. **

**Ilia marched me to the room, as soon as we were there she began pacing, I awaited blankly for an explanation. **

**tript be able to take you back after he I leaned back and fell on my beds happening. **

**t making sense is it? Ill explain.**When there is evil threatening Hyrule, Link and the goddess will always be reincarnated. Its gone. Hyrule only goes so far, beyond Hyrule there is said to be either vast amounts of water with islands to different terrain of lands that cover the area unpopulated. Link was reborn this time around and has already vanquished evil in this life. I dons one now. I dons another Gerudo. It cant even been a single decade let alone a century since the last has only happened one other time when Link has had to vanquish evil two times in his life. It was a mess, Link had died shortly after killing off the evil in that time. It was either from stress or his wounds that hadnIs ** I remember him from the bar, he always wore strange stockings and was such a bookworm. **

**I couldnt seen her in about a year when my father brought her to Ordon for a visit. Of course she writes and I write back sometimes but that also takes a while for the mailman to go back and forth. I turned to look at Ilia, she was fast asleep. I to was snuggled up in my bed but I couldnt bother putting his blankets on or anything. He was sprawled out on his back, both his arms jutting out to each side. Perhaps what he needed right now was a friend. Why am I so selfish? I relationship is defiantly not what I wanted right now or anytime soon. When he gave a deep sigh I forced myself to reach out. I grabbed his hand with my own and at first I felt him jolt**Still awake huh?Yeah. I wouldn

**t knowve done some pretty weird stuff in your it go. **

**are you going to save-**Hyrule? Of course. I love Hyrule and would gladly save it anytime. I** What Ilia said stuck my mind. **

**t die.t answer. **

**I found it hard to find my dreams that night, Ilia woke me up after what seemed like I blinked. **

**Ilia insisted. She stayed behind when we made our way back to Kakariko. She gave us what was left of the supply in the kitchen of berries, saving roots for herself so she wouldn**I** A tour? Soldiers from the castle town never took a tour when I was there. **

**s one of the reasons I am also here, I Link gladly accepted his proposal. **

**s the other reason?**I was wondering if Ilia would also come down with you, she hasnll catch that why she seemed sort of insane?

We ignored the fact Ilia could be growing into a cucco perhaps and decided to rest. We both had faith in her and that she could make the right choices, what struck me however was that she only has living rocks to talk to.

ll be fine, I** Renado assured his as he draped his hair back behind his shoulders. **

**Link**Feel free to stop here whenever you are weary, we can only help so much but please accept what we can , it is time to go back to Ordon.t exactly my kind of bed.

s Link?t fit to live on a mountain.

s getting the horses from a safe trip, your bag of clothes Link took along with him to load the , have a good kid.

I walked across the village dirt path to the bomb shop where Link was sitting on his horse, his eyes closed.

**I questioned as I mounted my horse. He shrugged and started trotting to the entrance of the village. Time had flown by so quickly, and now Link was back to his good version of himself. He was quieter when his other side wasns almost as if he has a split personality.**


End file.
